RUDELY AWAKENED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18347, 13 March 1923, Page 7

RUDELY AWAKENED.

IRISH REBEL PLOTTERS. 100 ARRESTS IN BRITAIN. ALL DEPORTED TO IRELAND. SUNDAY MORNING RAIDS. LONDON AND PROVINCES. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Received 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. March U. Scotland Yard detectives and pohce effected at least 100 arrests of Irish Republicans in London and provincial towns early on Sunday morning. The Daily Express reports that the arrests in London numbered 34 men and 10 women, including Art O'Brien, the president of the. Irish Self-Determination League, and Shaun Magrath. its secretary. Most of them were arrested in bed, and protested vigorously. The women sang Irish songs and shouted "Up with the Republic" as they were removed to the central police station. I*rom the police station they were motored to Euston and placed in a special train ana taken to Liverpool, en route to Ireland. In every case the detectives were armed, as it was known that several of the revolutionary leaders in Britain were desperate men, who carried arms, and threatened to use them. Accordingly it was arranged in practically all cases that the arrests should he made when the wanted individuals were abed. Ibis arrangement was excellently carried out, and important documents were seized, which showed that some of those, arrested were encaged in traffic in arms. Cruiser Awaits Deportees. Brixton, Camberwell Islington, Walham Green. Netting Hill, and Hackney, were some of the London districts which were raided. Those arrested were taken to the nearest police station before being sent to Euston .station for entraining to Liverpool. Raids were also made in Doncaster and Sheffield, but most of the arrests in the English provinces were made in Liverpool, in the Scotland Road quarter of the city. The men and women were taken to Bridwell, which is the chief gaol in Liverpool, and were then driven in prison vans to the cruiser Castor, which had been lying in the Mersey for two or three days. Every detective in the Liverpool force was ■engaged. The raids were carried out with astonishing secrecy- In some cases a husband, wife, and grown up son and daughter were "taken. In each case the peoplt were told to pack up their clothes and other belongings, as it. was not likely that they would'be allowed to return "to their homes in England. Police Garry Women's Luggage. Meanwhile special trains were arriving from other parts of the country. Processions of deportees passed along the quays through an avenue of fixed bayonets "co the Castor, where the landing stage was specially barricaded off. Twenty-five girls and women, among those arrested, were escorted by police, who carried their suitcases. They were also accompanied by six women police wardresses. Most of the women were smartly dressed and seemed in good spirits, though one girl was highly hysterical and clenched her fists and waved her hands wildly. One woman was a lady doctor, with a Liverpool practice. Each man was escorted by two policemen, who held his arms tightly. Art O'Brien was living in a flat ,in Drayton Gardens, London. He took no notice of the police until they shattered the glass fanlight, whereupon the door was opened and O'Brien was arrested. He was given a few minutes to pack his bag and bid his wife farewell. Another man arrested was Peter Murphy, aged 70, who was a newsagent in Liverpool. His shop was known as " The Irish House, where Irish literature and papers were sold. The last sight of the deportees was the heads of pretty girls and matronly women piked from the port holes of the Castor, as she steamed down the Mersey. All were singing Irish airs. Over 30 Arrests in Glasgow. In similar raids in Glasgow over 30 people were arrested. Two. destroyers arrived in the Clyde in the darkness and quietly drew up at Queen's Dock. The arrested persons were surprised in their beds and in a few moments they were hustled into waiting motor-vans, hurried to the docks, and were on the high seas going to Ireland before they realised what had happened. Each of the deportees was presented with a paper, signed by Lord Novar, Chief Secretary for Scotland, stating that he or she was charged with acting in a manner prejudicial to the restoration of law and order in Ireland.. Another raid was made in Dundee, where Pat O'Neill, a teacher in a Roman Catholic School, was arrested. The raids were due to a suggestion of the Free State Government. Irish Republicans in Glasgow who were not arrested met on Sunday evening to consider possible reprisals.